High-Level Meeting Addresses Urgent Healthcare Challenges in Afghanistan: Minister of Public Health and UNICEF Emphasize Strategic Collaboration for Sustainable Improvements

The Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, convened a high-level meeting with UNICEF Representative to Afghanistan, Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, and his delegation to address the urgent challenges facing Afghanistan’s healthcare system and explore strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing service delivery across the nation.

Present at the meeting were the Deputy Minister for Financial and Administrative Affairs, Mawlawi Mohammad Ishaq Sahibzada, as well as the Deputy Minister for Healthcare Service Provision, Mawlawi Abdul Wali Haqqani, both of whom emphasized the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that high-quality healthcare is accessible to all segments of the population. What was particularly stressed by His Excellency Jalali, however, was the necessity for equitable funding, without which it would be impossible to fully upgrade the healthcare infrastructure and address long-standing disparities. Had the government not prioritized the healthcare sector in recent years, these issues, particularly the shortage of essential medicines and the unequal distribution of healthcare workers’ salaries, might have spiraled out of control.

Not only did the Minister underline the importance of evaluating the services delivered by external healthcare providers, but he also reiterated that, should these evaluations not be conducted rigorously, any progress made thus far would be at risk of reversal. It is imperative, he argued, that the implementing organizations adhere to international standards of service provision, failing which, the already fragile system could deteriorate further.

UNICEF, which has been a key partner in bolstering the healthcare sector, assured the Ministry that it would continue to align its efforts with the government’s priorities. The delegation, led by Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, conveyed that without sustained collaboration, the goal of ensuring consistent, high-quality services across the country would remain elusive. Consequently, UNICEF reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying its support, which, as they emphasized, must be both strategic and comprehensive if it is to yield long-term improvements.